Clinton jumps ahead of Turner on Risseeuw's three-run double

Turner pitcher Austin Andrews attempts to tag Clinton’s Aaron Roth after fielding Roth’s tapper in front of the plate. Andrews missed the tag but got the out at first. Clinton won, 4-2, to take a one-game lead in the Rock Valley South over Turner and Parkview.

Bill Olmsted

Clinton third baseman Tyler Chesmore attempts to grab the ball as Turner runner Tyler Reese gets back to third and batter Tanner Burt heads to first. Burt reached safely.

Bill Olmsted

Clinton’s Cody Risseeuw tries to field a throw, but Turner’s Sam Burns beats it to the bag at second during the Rock Valley South matchup in Beloit on Thursday. A four-run fourth inning helped Clinton score a 4-2 victory and gain a one game lead over Turner in the conference race with five games to play.

BELOIT  The official Rock Valley South baseball standings say first-place Clinton is one game ahead of Turner.

But in reality, Clinton is about six inches ahead of Turner.

Trojan right fielder Clayton Stenulson came within six inches of nabbing Cougar second baseman Cody Risseeuw’s three-run double that spearheaded a four-run fourth inning and a 4-2 victory for Clinton High here Thursday in a Rock Valley South first-place showdown.

Risseeuw’s pinpoint double gave Clinton (9-2) a one-game lead over Turner and Parkview (both 8-3) in the conference race with five games to play.

No matter how close the key hit was to being caught, Clinton coach Scott Cernek wasn’t surprised Risseeuw was the player to make the big play.

“Cody (Risseeuw) hit a 0-2 pitch for the big hit,” Cernek said. “He’s an all-around athlete that you want on your team that makes those types of plays.”

Turner, meanwhile, is stuck wondering what could have been.

“It’s a play that has to be made,” Turner coach Ryan Bertelsen said of the three-run double. However, I believe we still have to score more runs to win.”

The Trojans indeed struggled at the plate against Clinton lefthander Justin Langley, who went the distance, allowing two unearned runs on four hits with nine strikeouts.

“Langley pitched a complete game Tuesday night against Lena, Ill.,” Cernek said. “We knew he was going to come back on two days’ rest.

“He started out where he didn’t have the crisp control. Later in the game, he was really spotting the changeup, which got him five of the last six outs of the game.”

The inning started with the Cougars loading the bases with nobody out. After Trojan pitcher Austin Andrews forced a James Kollash pop out, Tyler Chesmore got a sacrifice fly to left, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Then, after Langley drew a walk, Risseeuw got a bloop double to clear the bases and give Clinton the 4-2 lead it never relinquished.

The Trojans never threatened from there and were forced to watch the Cougars celebrate the big victory.

“Is Clinton in the driver’s seat right now? Absolutely they are,” Bertelsen said. “But we’ll find out at practice and on Saturday if the guys respond well. There is still a lot of baseball to be played.”